Does Jesus Encourage Christians To Pack and Stockpile Guns? A Discussion With a Brother.

This is a simple wake-up call to all my brothers and sisters out there.

A beloved Christian sister forwarded a disturbing email to me about our rights to carry and use guns. It is written that although all things are lawful, not all things are good for us. Question is, are guns good for Christians?

Are we headed for some mad crazy times of tyrannic rule and personal suffering and sacrifices? Absolutely, but ANY Christian should already know and expect as well as be prepared spiritually for this truth, because God told us it HAS to be this way.

So here's what I replied ... my take on Guns:

You know sister, all I hear is a bunch of christians talking about their gun rights and arming themselves for the future. Even the leaders (including my pastor and many pastors on my favorite radio seminary station 89.3 CSN).

Here's what I believe:

1. God said thou shalt not kill. Guns KILL!
2. Jesus said live by the sword, die by the sword. Guns ARE today's swords (choice of weapon).
3. Jesus says love those who hate you and love your neighbor. LOVE NEVER COMES FROM THE BARREL OF A GUN!
4. Jesus says true love is to DIE for your friends, NOT KILL to protect your friends.

You'll forgive me for being so harsh, but it seems to me the devil is well on his way to deceiving the saints just as the bible predicted.
Don't buy into the hype sister.
Do you choose to control with a gun, or do you trust Jesus Christ because HE IS IN CONTROL?

In Love, Your brother forever in Christ,
-C'wick



... and a brother responded:



Bro Chad,
I appreciate your thoughts on Facebook regarding the use of weapons. Here is another thought you might consider. Evidently Jesus had no thoughts about His followers carrying weapons of defense since as He indicated in Luke 22. 36 “Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.” Later in the garden Peter used his sword, but Jesus just told him to “Put it away”. He didn’t tell him to stop carrying it.
We do indeed live in troubling time and our trust should indeed be in Jesus, but in the admonition to be “harmless as doves” (Mt 10:16) even a dove will defend himself. He also said to be “wise as serpents” which also have means of defense, some of them deadly.
I’m sure not advocating carrying guns at all times, but we do live in times where church shooting are becoming common and it might be wise to prepare for whatever might happen. We do keep our doors locked for that reason don’t we?
I pray you will receive this note as coming from an elder in the faith although I realize being an elder doesn’t automatically make me wiser, just gives me a few more gray hairs.
Love you in the Lord.
Bro. Larry

... so I responded:

Beloved brother,

I appreciate your views dear brother, but I believe this is another case of scripture abuse on many Christians' behalf (not necessarily you, but those choosing to control their own destiny with a gun rather than leaving control over to God through Jesus Christ) where someone finds a scripture that fits their needs and runs with it. And don't get me wrong, I realize I'm running against the grain here. Many other Christians and Leaders have quoted this scripture again and again when it comes to the gun issue, especially during this age of war, however as the BIG picture goes, I believe we have taken a lesser significant scripture in the life of Christ to justify ourselves while ignoring the more significant scriptures that encourages us away from any killing or violence what-so-ever, because if you kill a man in his sin, you've just taken away any chance of that man to be saved, better yet taking control right out of God's hands and into yours.
It's a hard truth that no one wants to hear, but consider this. You and your family are saved. If you die, you are going to spend a lifetime in the presence of Christ. Your eternity is secure. Someone breaks into your home and threatens to kill a family member. You pull out your gun and kill that unsaved man. You just sent that man on a one way trip to hell with your actions, while saving a person who was safe, secure and prepared for eternity. Is this a good trade? Will God congratulate you for this decision? What if He was ready to receive your family member into the kingdom, and the killing of your family member was to be the catalyst to open this man's eyes to the salvation of Jesus Christ. Your free will decision to control the situation just kept one person from heaven for a little while longer and the other from heaven permanently, while God's ideal decision may very well have been to accept them both into heaven eventually, and just maybe that guy you killed was going to bring more people to Christ from within a prison community!!
The more we humans try to be the controllers of our own destiny, the further we get from God. It's been proven time and again throughout history!
God doesn't say "though shall not kill ... unless you absolutely have to." He says specifically, thou shalt not kill. It is and always was His perfect will for us to be at peace with one another, but because of our sin nature, He accomidated our thirst for blood all through the old testament scriptures. But Christ changed all that with His coming, showing us that there is a better way through love, servitude, sacrifice, faith and total trust in God, because He is in control, not us. It is literally another way of us setting God aside and saying, "Take a breather, old timer - I got this one!" And pulling out the trusty old pistol to take control of the situation. Having a gun is ultimately about controlling your own destiny, and isn't that where we have been coming up short all these years with God from the very beginning?
I am finding that we as Christians are equipping ourselves with guns, money, buildings, vehicles, etc - you know, PHYSICAL things to go into a spiritual battle with. We are setting aside the most important spiritual weapons for physical weapons because we feel more comfortable there. It's a false sense of security and it is making us weak and easy pickings for the deceiver and his minion of false prophets, teachers and doctrine!

As for that scripture, Luke 22: 35-38 … once again we are taking a small piece of the whole pie and dissecting it for our own purposes. Read the whole passage (24-38). It’s about who is lesser and greater and Christ exposing their weakness in the trust of their own strength! If you trust in your gun more than your God, and you get disarmed … then what? No time left for take-backs, your decision has been made, and you chose yourself over God’s protection …

In verse 27 of the KJV it reads: “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.”
Now I ask you … who is greater: He with the gun or he without the gun? Jesus came to us as the one without the gun and though He was slaughtered as a lamb, He prevailed and beat the grave and became the most powerful man whom ever existed because He trusted in God “thy will be done, Father, not mine!”

Christ knew that the most important things were servitude, obedience, and sacrifice - that these are what gives a man true greatness and strength enough to beat the grave!

What are Christians pulling out of this scripture? “This passage gives me the right to bear arms!” Do you still think we’re getting “IT”? I don’t. I think Christians are seriously getting side-tracked from the truth behind the scriptures. We’re toying with them too much to fit our wills - not His!

Luke 22:31. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:” Simon’s faith was weakened in his trust in his own strength. He was certain he would be strong enough to stand by Christ’s side and even die for him, but Christ knew his heart was in the wrong place and his trust misguided, for he still trusted in his own strength. Christ had them arm themselves NOT for battle, but for teaching. He knew Simon Peter was going to turn to the strength of his sword rather than his God when things got crazy. The sword was just another lesson to be learned: Live by the sword … die by the sword. Your strength is not within wielding a weapon, it is within your Faith and Trust in God through Jesus Christ.

The message of the sword had NOTHING to do with Christ wanting us to protect ourselves (trust in our own strength). If so, He never would have said, “It is enough” to only two swords. Christ knew it would only take one sword to make his point. He allows us to have our swords like He allowed Israel to have its king … Saul. Live by a king … die by a king. Live by the sword … die by the sword. Or live in God’s strength … God’s rule … and LIVE!

Sadly, we can take out “Simon” and add our names in the passage, “31. And the Lord said, (Christians, Christians), behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:”

The sifting has begun so now we want to use scripture to justify arming ourselves with guns when we should be using scripture to arm ourselves with GOD!

Finally brother, as for this you wrote:

“We do indeed live in troubling time and our trust should indeed be in Jesus, but in the admonition to be “harmless as doves” (Mt 10:16) even a dove will defend himself. He also said to be “wise as serpents” which also have means of defense, some of them deadly.”

I don’t know where you get the idea in scripture that a dove will defend itself. The scripture is blatant in what it eludes to. Let’s study the whole scrip shall we …

16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18. And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

This scripture actually helps to solidify my point, so I’m glad you brought it up. First of all, sheep have no protection against wolves … if caught, death is their reward and thus Christ was pointing out to be “WISE” as serpents - Not deadly as serpents. In this we understand He means for us to keep our heads and wits about us and know when to speak and act and when to be silent and move on (see verse 23). As for “harmless as doves”, when danger is afoot, doves take off. Period. If you pull out a gun and shoot somebody, you are not being “harmless as doves”. Correct? Furthermore, Christ makes it a point to mention that the apostles (and us) would suffer and be persecuted and hated for His name’s sake, and when delivered up, not to worry about being prepared for the Spirit of our Father would speak for us. This is all about obedience, trust and service to God. NOWHERE IN THIS PASSAGE DOES IT ELUDE TO TURNING TO VIOLENT MEANS OR ACT AGAINST ANYONE AT ALL FOR PRESERVATION OF ONES SELF OR THEIR LOVED ONES. It’s all about GOD’S GOT YOUR BACK. TRUST FULLY IN HIM!!!

And let’s not forget, when Christ sent them out as sheep amongst the wolves, they were to do so with nothing short of what they were wearing. No food … No supplies … and no swords or GUNS!

You made me really think and work hard for this one brother. I thank you for that, for when we go to scripture truly in search of the truth, Jesus brings the truth to us on a silver platter. I knew in this study of the scriptures you gave me one of two things would happen. God would show my short-sidedness (happens a lot, trust me), or He would strengthen my resolve against the arming of today’s Christians. I am now more convinced than ever that we need to stop worrying about Guns and start arming ourselves with God. Amen.

I pray this was as enlightening for you as it was for me. The Lord be praised and may you be blessed my beloved brother in Christ.

Goodnight dear friend. Be safe in the security of your God!
Love Chad